The Voyevoda ( ), Op. 3, is an opera in 3 acts and 4 scenes, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky with a libretto written by Alexander Ostrovsky and based on his play The Voyevoda (A Dream on the Volga) (). The opera was composed between March 1867 and July 1868, and it received its first performance on 11 February [OS January 30] 1869 at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. It was a benefit for Alexandra Menshikova. In the 1870s Tchaikovsky destroyed the manuscript full score of the opera, while recycling much of the first act in his The Oprichnik (1870–1872). The subject of The Voyevoda was thus left available to his former pupil Anton Arensky to compose as the opera Dream on the Volga in 1888. Decades later, during the Soviet period, The Voyevoda was posthumously reconstructed from surviving orchestral and vocal parts and the composer's sketches. Roles Instrumentation Strings: Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, and Double Basses Woodwinds: Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, Cor Anglais, 2 Clarinets (B-flat & A), 2 Bassoons Brass: 4 Horns (all in F), 2 Trumpets (B-flat), 3 Trombones, Tuba Percussion: Timpani, Triangle, Cymbals, Bass Drum Other: Harp Source: Voyevoda (opera) Tchaikovsky Research Synopsis Time: The middle of the 17th century Place: A large city on the Volga River Overture Act 1 No.1 Chorus of Maidens & Scena No.2 Mariya's Ballad & Duet No.3 Scena No.4 Bastryukov's Aria No.5 Scena & Duet No.6 Scena No.7 Scena No.8 Quartet & Scena No.9 Finale Act 2 No.10 Introduction No.11 Chorus of Servants No.12 Bastryukov's Aria No.13 Scena & Dubrovin's Aria No.14 Entr'acte & Dances of the Chambermaids No.15 Scena & Mariya's Song No.16 Scena No.17 Duet No.18 Scena No.19 Scena & Khorovod Act 3 No.20 Entr'acte No.21 Scena & Dubrovin's Aria No.22 Scena No.23 Quartet No.24 Scena No.25 Duet No.26 Scena & Quartet No.27 Scena No.28 Quintet No.29 Scena & Chorus No.30 Scena No.31 Closing Scena Source: Tchaikovsky Research Derived works The Entr'acte and Dances of the Chambermaids from Act 2 were based on the Characteristic Dances for orchestra (1865), and were also arranged for piano duet by Tchaikovsky. Under the pseudonym "Cramer", Tchaikovsky composed a Potpourri on themes from the opera The Voyevoda, for solo piano (1868). Similarly named works In 1886, Tchaikovsky wrote incidental music for the Domovoi scene from Alexander Ostrovsky's A Dream on the Volga. This is the same play that formed the